Why did the San Francisco SPCA Dog Training Academy shut down?

I don't think we may ever know the reason "why". It appears that not only is the academy closed down, but the SFSPCA has also parted company with both Jean Donaldson and Janice Bradley. I've also read that Jean is no longer a member of the APDT. I understand Jean does answer questions on her personal site, so you could always ask her directly.

I haven't heard a lot of great things about ABC from a few of it's graduates. I think for those interested in this type of school, Karen Pryor's Academy might be a better choice.

Angelique

I don't think we may ever know the reason "why". It appears that not only is the academy closed down, but the SFSPCA has also parted company with both Jean Donaldson and Janice Bradley. I've also read that Jean is no longer a member of the APDT. I understand Jean does answer questions on her personal site, so you could always ask her directly.

I haven't heard a lot of great things about ABC from a few of it's graduates. I think for those interested in this type of school, Karen Pryor's Academy might be a better choice.

Hi Angelique. Thanks for chiming in, at least now I have a better clue of what might've happened. Jean Donaldson leaving the APDT makes things even weirder. Wow.

I'm sure you have heard of a few graduates not liking ABC (Animal Behavior College). Remember to take into the "law of averages", though. I had a friend who went to MIT (one of the best schools in the nation) and he wasn't satisfied and then switched to Harvard. I had a friend who did just that. I'm sure you have your own stories of friends who weren't happy with a college and switched.

ABC has staying power, and it's now so universally acknowledged by everywhere. ABC is just one school. It's not the end of training. But I do think it's a good entry-level one to have. It shows you're serious. Karen Pryor's school is still the new kid on the block as far as training schools go. It's also about 2x the price of ABC. To be honest, if I'm going to pay that kind of money I'd rather go to Pat Miller's training school. Or you know what... too bad I'm not in prison, then I could go to dog training school for free! Those guys have it pretty good! I can't even afford any training school right now.

If you can get a rundown of the what is actually being taught in the school you're interested in and talk to as many graduates as possible, it might help you narrow things down. A lot also depends upon if you're interested in just the training aspect or want to get deeper into behavior modification. 

 Well, the real reason is this:  the SF SPCA hired a new President, Jan McHugh-Smith, who came in and GUTTED the entire behavior and training department, shut down the hearing dog program mid-session with NO NOTICE (after using the performance of the hearing dogs to garner large contributions at a party just a couple days beforehand) and put the dogs about to graduate from that program into the general adoption pool instead, alienated almost the entire staff, and re-directed most resources toward the new and expensive (and largely unneeded) animal hospital.  Basically, she wrecked years of community relationships and goodwill, and destroyed the staff and excellent programs, and then left the SF SPCA to go back to Colorado after only a year or two.   There is no question that the SF SPCA needed some changes and had to make some difficult financial choices, due partly to the economy, and largely to the hugely over budget plans for the hospital, and some poor management choices in the past.  But the Academy for Dog Trainers was a hugely successful, well-regarded and internationally recognized program, and it was paying for itself financially, and more than paid for itself in prestige and relationships.   Everyone was baffled and shocked at the decision.  McHugh-Smith claimed that she was re-tooling the SF SPCA to focus more on core missions, but her decisions were hasty and didn't make any sense.

I am a graduate of the Academy (2007), and can attest to how amazing it was.  I guess that makes me biased.  And I have colleagues and friends who worked there (some still do, but many were laid off).  There is no question that I'm bitter.  But I still think that my description of what happened is accurate.  And sad.  Very, very sad. 

I do know that Janis Bradley, one of the founders of the Academy who taught there along with Jean Donaldson, just recently started an apprenticeship program for dog trainers, and it sounds like it will be great.  She's accepting applications now, and the first session will begin in February. I believe that Jean Donaldson is exploring developing some e-learning and video learning tools, but I don't have any details.

sierradogs

 Well, the real reason is this:  the SF SPCA hired a new President, Jan McHugh-Smith, who came in and GUTTED the entire behavior and training department, shut down the hearing dog program mid-session with NO NOTICE (after using the performance of the hearing dogs to garner large contributions at a party just a couple days beforehand) and put the dogs about to graduate from that program into the general adoption pool instead, alienated almost the entire staff, and re-directed most resources toward the new and expensive (and largely unneeded) animal hospital. 

I am a graduate of the Academy (2007), and can attest to how amazing it was.  I guess that makes me biased.  And I have colleagues and friends who worked there (some still do, but many were laid off).  There is no question that I'm bitter.  But I still think that my description of what happened is accurate.  And sad.  Very, very sad.

Hi sierradogs. Thanks so much for chiming in on this thread. That must've been very frustrating for you or for anyone who graduated there. What a real shame. Jean Donaldson is a master. How could anyone just shut her school down? It's like shutting down a school where Paul McCartney taught students how to construct well written melodic pop songs. It's unthinkable. I google'd Jan McHugh-Smith and found that. Good article. 

I never got the notice in my email when you sent this reply two months after I created it. The reason I came back to it tonight is because my new copy of The Bark Magazine just arrived in the mail today. It features a really good article titled "How To Become a Dog Trainer." The "two biggies" for reward based training academies listed were: Karen Pryor Academy and your Academy for Dog Trainers at the San Francisco SPCA. Then they note how the latter shut down leaving only Karen Pryor's Academy as the sole surviving "biggie" +R training academy. 

The exciting news from the article is that Jean Donaldson is starting up exactly what you just stated. Her new academy will consist of "lectures and training demonstrations on CD". She'll also have "virtual classrooms." The website is Academy For Dog Trainers.com  You won't be able to view anything on it, though. It asks for a password. I notice she created the domain back in 2009. Donaldson is up against a lot now that there's the established Karen Pryor Academy.

It protects the eyes, face, and neck from radiation, sparks, and debris. There are many different types and brands of welding helmets on the market, but the Miller Electric Digital Elite Welding Helmet. weldingchamp.com/best-cold-welding-machine